The internet in general and the Gentleman’s Gazette in particular offer plenty information on how to dress, live, and behave like a gentleman. In our guides, we always try to provide lists of quality manufacturers for various price groups but nevertheless these things are sometimes unaffordable, especially if you are still in school, if you are at the beginning of your career or if your job simply doesn’t pay that much. While good quality always has its price, the Gentleman’s Gazette has always tried to cater to the man interested in classic style, no matter the size of your wallet.

Who Is This Guide For? Men with Little Money & A Lot Of Time

Today, we focus on 15 Tips On How To Dress Like a Gentleman On A Budget. This is particularly helpful to people who have quite a bit of time, but not a lot of money.

If you have quite a bit of money, but not a lot of time, you should NOT follow this guide as your time is worth a lot and buying things new is more advantageous to you. If you have no money and not time, this guide can still be helpful.

In my experience, most men fall into one of the two groups: people who can’t afford certain things, and people who don’t have access to these things. On top of that, many men lack the knowledge, and they don’t know what suits them and what they need.

HAVE YOU WATCHED THIS VIDEO YET?

HAVE YOU WATCHED THIS VIDEO YET?

You Can’t Afford Nice Things

This kind of man lives in a metropolitan area with plenty of stores to choose from. They read online magazines such as Gentleman’s Gazette; good clothing is familiar, and they know tailors, suit silhouettes, and craftsmen by name. However, this man’s finances don’t stretch to these indulgences.

Stroller Suit with Contrasting Vest – all vintage

No Access to Nice Things

These men who live in a rural area or country were classic men’s clothing is hard to come by. You know a few sites where you can buy things online, but shipping costs are high, and you have to pay duties on top of that. You could afford to buy stuff, but you would like to try things on first or touch the fabric before you buy because returns can be complicated.

Personally, I used to be a member of both of camps.

I grew up in a small town with 3,000 people. At the age of 15, I began to read about classic men’s style. I would meet with people and craftsmen, online and in person, and made sure to visit stores whenever I did have access. I researched my travel routes before so that I could meet people along the way.

Later on, I moved to Munich and then Hamburg, where I went to law school. All of a sudden, I was in living in cities with tailors, expensive haberdashers, and plenty of options to choose from, if it wasn’t for the money. So I began by creating a list of items a complete wardrobe should have and started looking on eBay and most importantly, vintage stores for items to add to my closet. If something didn’t turn out, or if I found a better quality item along the way, I sold the old things and bought new ones.

As you can see, I know exactly what it is like to have a limited budget or to live in an area without any availability. All of the hints and tips I provide here are based on my personal experience, and they worked very well for me. Furthermore, many of the things I bought years ago on eBay or at a vintage store still play an active role in my wardrobe today.

Tips for Those Who Can’t Afford Quality Items

You are surrounded by all these wonderful goods, but you just can’t afford them – at least new. Be consoled. You still have a big advantage to the ones who can’t buy anything of quality even if they had the ability. Here are a few ideas to help get around

Know Your Measurements

1. Know Your Measurements

You need to know your clothes measurements, plain and simple. Keep a spreadsheet, or better yet, memorize them. You’ll be best served by learning about your body’s quirks and needs, and how clothing needs to adapt. For example, my right shoulder hangs about 1.5″ lower than my left one. This means my armhole has to be cut deeper, and I either need a shoulder pad on the right, or the cut of the shoulder has to be different. Moreover, the sleeve has to be set in differently. I have a slightly rounded back and one arm is half a centimeter (one-fifth of an inch) longer. My right leg is slightly bigger than my left one. The fit is the most important thing when it comes to clothes.

Chances are in the beginning. You won’t even notice the asymmetry of your body. On the other hand, it won’t take a trained tailor very long to point them out once he sees you. If you want to figure out what your body’s characteristics are, wear a garment off the rack because it is symmetrical. Then have somebody take pictures 360°. It is imperative for you to stand naturally. Otherwise, the result will not help but hurt you. Once you know your measurements, spotting well fitting (usually vintage or slightly used) clothing online will be much easier.

2. Know Your Surroundings

Know your clothing style and your needs. If you work at a formal office, you need suits. For a student, combinations of jacket and trousers are probably a better investment. A banker and an artist have different needs. One is dressed more traditionally; the other one wants to stand out and can play more with colors, cuts, etc. Take a minute and write down all the places you usually go to and what clothes you should be wearing ideally.

Then narrow it down to the pieces that are the most versatile, because these are the ones you will end up wearing the most. If that’s too challenging for you right now, stay tuned for a follow-up post about starter wardrobes.

Bespoke Coats in Interesting Fabrics

3. Avoid Bespoke Garments in the Beginning

The first tip I can offer you: avoid bespoke suits unless you find a really inexpensive tailor. When I say bespoke, I mean true bespoke with fittings and a fair amount of handwork and canvas interlining. No matter where you make it in the world, you will hardly ever get a product for under $1,000 that is of the best quality (including cloth), and when you start and need an entire wardrobe, you will likely not be able to afford it.

4. Know Your Alterations Tailor

Regardless of your body type, start looking for a skilled alterations tailor and learn what elements can and cannot be tailored successfully. Take a look at the work they offer and how they accommodate individual requests for difficult tasks, such as shortening a sleeve from the sleeve head. If they can do that properly, so the sleeves hang nicely without bumps on the sleeve head or wrinkles in the sleeves, chances are they can do everything else you need them to do. However, even if you find the best alterations tailor bear in mind, they are not magicians. As such, you cannot buy jackets that are too long or too short because even though there might be some fabric reserve, the buttonholes and the position of the pockets can’t be changed. Also, if the shoulders don’t fit, it is going to be difficult to fix it, just like the front-back balance.

As a rule of thumb, do not buy anything that is more than one size to small or too large because alterations will be costly and the result is often not ideal. Also, when in doubt, buy something that is slightly too big rather than too tight, because removing fabric is easy but if there is not enough cloth reserve in the garment, you can’t wear the garment.

Tommy Nutter Glencheck Suit as seen on a London Flea Market

5. Go Vintage

Vintage stores or flea markets in larger cities like London or Naples often provide quality clothing at a fraction of the retail price. Of course, it usually takes a bit of time to find something good, but if you do and the fit is ok, your alterations tailor can do the rest. Vintage shopping requires patience and practice. Look up brands, fabrics, and countries of origin as you go to build an understanding of what’s out there – the more you know, the easier it will be to spot a quality product.

When you are at a store looking for jackets, suits or overcoats, I suggest walking through the aisles looking just at the cuff buttons and buttonholes and the collar. With a bit of practice, you can identify a handmade buttonhole and a hand stitched collar.

Surgeon Cuffs with handmade buttonholes

If you find one, chances are 99% you have a quality garment. In the beginning, it may be easier for you to identify a handmade buttonhole from the back side, because it will look irregular whereas a machine-made buttonhole is consistent. Ten years ago, it would have been enough to test if the jacket had working buttonholes, but today even a blazer from H&M for $50 has that feature, so it is not a quality hallmark anymore. That being said, there are also good garments with machine/made buttonholes. As a rule of thumb, if the hole is cut first, then neatly sewn, chances are it is a higher quality garment than if the stitch density is low and you can see some fraying.

Once you identify a buttonhole, you can quickly double check if the sleeve lining is sewn in by hand. If that’s the case, you likely have a quality garment and if you want to be sure, flap up the collar and look if it was attached with hand stitching. You can do all of this without having to take a jacket off the hanger. This allows you to quickly analyze an entire store for good garments.

6. Invest in flexible, wardrobe extending pieces such as odd vests

Contrasting vests are less expensive than a jacket or a suit, and they really help you to create many new outfits with your existing wardrobe. Take a look at our odd vest guide for more details.

Brushing Clothes and Polishing Shoes

7. Take care of your wardrobe

Care properly for the items you already own, because you will get a lot more wear out of them, and it will be less expensive in the long run. For suits, jackets, trousers, and overcoats that means you should brush them regularly with a clothes brush. If your garment is wrinkled, steam them either in a bathroom or better with a steamer. Hang your overcoats and jackets on wide hangers and if you can’t afford Butler Luxury quality, go with plastic suit hangers. Shops often give them away for free.

8. People Who Buy Cheap Buy Twice

Don’t let a great deal turn you into a sucker. Even a piece that is marked down by 90% may be a total waste of money if it is not what you need in your wardrobe. Yes, it is nice to score a deal, but instead, think about the cost per wear you will get out of the garment. And the $50 seersucker jacket can turn out to be more expensive than the $400 blazer in the long run. This also applies to cheap finds that need a lot of work – dry cleaning and extensive tailoring can easily multiply the real cost of ownership quickly.

Treasures can be found at vintage stores but rarely during sales

9. Don’t be tempted by deals and super savings

If a deal is too good to be true, it probably is too good to be true. There is probably a reason why nobody has bought an item before you at a retail store if it is marked down heavily – it may be a second, there could be a loose threads, tears or stains. Only take items you know you can repair with certainty – buttons are easy to sew back on, but a stain is not worth the risk. Of course, deals come along, and the more you know, the more likely you will be to spot it. For example, I spotted my Goyard suit cases and a friend once bought a bespoke jacket advertised as cashmere for 300 €; it was actually Vicuna, which he then sold for 3000 €. However, these deals are very rare. Instead, start simple and based on your environment, professions, and needs. Since there are so many areas, I could write more than one follow-up article about a professional wardrobe.

Sublime tweed suit

10. Fit is more important than anything else in your wardrobe – don’t compromise here.

Fit is a huge area and most people today don’t know what a good fit means. Obviously, it also depends on your standards. Personally, I have never seen anything off the rack that fit perfectly, yet I have met many people who claim they have. It is all in the eye of the beholder.

Generally, wrinkles in a suit when you stand are a sign of bad fit. Vertical creases or wrinkles indicate that the garment is too wide in certain parts. Horizontal of X-folds indicate that something is too tight. When in doubt, get something slightly larger than something that is too tight because most commercially produced garments do not have much of a cloth reserve built in, while handmade garments usually have more.

11. Don’t Trust a Salesperson or a Seller

Most salespeople want to sell you stuff; that’s it. Hardly ever will you find a salesperson who educates you about clothing, explains why certain things work for you, while other don’t and they don’t what the historic background of things is, and what to wear. At the Gentleman’s Gazette, it has been our goal from our very first day, to help men dress better and elevate their style by educating them.

100 men’s fashion books

12. Do your research before you go out and buy

Make a list of what you want and more importantly, what you need based on your job and the place you go to. Educate yourself before you buy. For example, read the Gentleman’s Gazette, watch our videos, or invest a bit of money in books and consult with friends whose style you admire. Don’t just go out and buy stuff on a whim or something because it is on sales because it will likely be a failed investment.

Avoid Outlet Malls

13. Avoid outlets

Within the last 10 years, outlets seem to have become more popular, and retailers understand that many people fall for discounts. As such, many brands play along and produce new items just for outlets. Of course, these are of lower quality with higher price tags so they can lure customers into a sale with 70% off signs. If you find something that is exactly what you want, that’s fine. Otherwise, stay away because you will end up with stuff that you will quickly have to replace, and that doesn’t just harm the environment but also your wallet.

14. Stay in Touch

Once you have found a store with good quality merchandise, ensure that you are added to their customer database and sign up for their newsletter, so you stay in the loop.

15. Stick to Your Budget

Create a clothing budget by saving a set amount every month. Even if it is just $20 a month, that might easily result in a new tie or jacket from a vintage store. Save up and then buy a quality item when you can afford it. Also, if you sell something your budget increases. I always used this in and out mentality because clothes I don’t wear are tying up money in my closet. So, it is best to start with the things you have and don’t wear. Either sell it on eBay or at a local vintage store (stores are usually easier). Personally, I always went vintage with my clothes and then bought exactly the accessories I wanted to complete my look because I could afford a pair of nice socks for $30 or a pocket square and tie for the full price, whereas a new garment would have been way too expensive.

Tips for the One’s Who Don’t Have Access to Fine Clothes

If you live in a sartorial desert, you are not lost. Just like the above scenario, you have to know your measurements, know what your needs are, etc.

Use the Internet

Since you can’t just easily go to shops, utilize the internet heavily. Today, not only can you learn a lot online but there are so many online shops and even we noffer fine men’s accessories with free shipping on orders of $75 or more and free shipping worldwide for $250 or more.

Look For Local Craftsmen

Since you have the funds, I suggest you start to look for skilled craftsmen locally. Chances are there is somebody that can help you with your wardrobe. Their style may be awkward, and so you have to guide the craftsman by showing him pictures. Some are very open to trying new things, others are not. Pick and choose what works best for you. Sometimes, it is good just to let them do their thing because otherwise, the result won’t be satisfactory. In my experience, you’ll find out pretty quickly what your craftsman is willing to do.

Look for local craftsmen

Travel to Sartorial Destinations

Wherever you travel, make sure to research stores and craftsmen before. Make appointments to maximize your time and try to figure out what the selection is beforehand, so you don’t waste any effort while you are in town. Some even go on bespoke vacations, and if you discuss things with a tailor, they can get a suit done in 2 weeks, or at least you get enough fittings in so they can ship the final product to you. Also, if you have enough friends who would want to buy suits or shirts, you may be able in talk the tailor to coming to your location. Of course, this requires much more work and enough business for the craftsman to make it worth his while, but it can be a great option.

Have Friends Bring You Things

Lastly, if you can’t travel yourself or if shops only ship domestically, maybe you have a friend in that country or you know somebody who can bring you something. Personally, I’d advice you to use friends only very sparingly to bring you things because then they are happy to help, and otherwise you become a burden.

Conclusion

Even, if can’t afford things you’d love to own at the moment or if you just don’t have access to nice clothes very easily, there is always a way to dress stylishly on a budget. I think the tips I provided here should provide you with all the fundamentals you need so you can build your very own wardrobe on a budget.

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15 Tips On How To Dress Like a Gentleman On a Budget

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15 Hands On Tips on How You Can Dress Well On A Budget based on years of experience. It'll help you to improve your style and to get noticed

Thank you for answering hat I found to be one of the most frustrating questions. While I have been doing much of it already you had some amazing new ideas, such as the 360 degree picture. Thanks again for keeping our budgets in mind, keep up the incredible work.

One lesson I’ve learned more than once is if you are unsure on size go slightly bigger. A jacket a bit larger than normal will fit better with a waistcoat (that’s a vest to colonials ). If it’s too small it will always not feel comfortable or look right. When buying a coat always buy one bigger than you jacket size for a good fit.

Definitely check out Rudolf Beaufays, also, there used to be two other second hand stores closeby. One on Brahms Platz not far from Klemann bespoke shoes, and the other one was called secondella. For new stuff you might like Conrad Hasselbach.

Ausgezeichnet! Love that picture of you–high dandy. You almost look like a “gentleman’s gentlemen” except for the fact that you look much more like the gentleman. Keep up the outstanding work–the most literate, the most informative site of its kind on the web.

I’m not sure that handwork is an essential sign of quality. Perhaps 20 or 30 years ago, so yes for vintage items. However, machinery and garment manufacturing has come a long way since then and seams and button holes are often stronger and cleaner by machine. Collars attached by machine are much neater and stronger than a collar attached by hand. Some modern handwork is actually sloppy and not executed well at all.

Daneil, I think you misunderstood me. I only say, chances are it is higher, not that it is. A well made machine garment is better than a poorly done handmade one. However, if you look at all clothes out there, the ones with the better quality are handmade. This is not a guide about quality of handmade vs. machine, this is just a helpful guide that is supposed to help even novices to quickly identify good garments in a room with 1,000 suits. You can take everyone of the hanger, try it on and test if the quality is actually good.

If you live in a major city there are resale-consignment shops and thrift stores.

I. Resale or Consignment Stores

A resale or consignment shop should not be confused with a thrift shop. A resale store is a private business which accepts consignments of either new (with or without tag) or gently used high quality clothing. Some retailers send their left-overs to resale shops. I know of two high quality retailers which send their unsold sale goods to Gentlemens Resale in New York City.

Resale shops are very discerning as to what they accept since they make no profit carrying second-tier or very used merchandise. One of my friends, a womens resaler, is very select as to what she will accept as to designer, current fashion, and condition. She carries a small, but choice inventory.

Generally, “hot” labels or designers carry a premium whereas a quality maker might not. E.g., anything from Kiton and Hermes have a good prirce. However, some of the classic makers do not carry a high tariff, such as Oxxford, Turnbull & Asser, and Hickey Freeman. In many instances you can find bespoke, handmade suits from Savile Row for $200 or so. That is because the average customer has never heard of Henry Poole, however, he has heard of Armani.

II. Thrift Stores

A thrift store typically is tied to a non-profit charity (e.g., a hospital or a private school), and it sells used goods. People donate their used clothes and household items to the thrift store in exchange for a tax deduction.

I would say that thrift stores’ merchandise is a lower quality than a resale shop. However, you can find a “find.” Again, some retailers give their unsold clothes to thrift stores. 15 years ago I bought a stock of Sulka ties which Sulka gave to the Irvington Thrift House.

It is interesting that thrift and resale stores are concentrated on the Upper East Side of New York which is a wealthy part of town. Many gals make a tour of shopping the resale and thrift stores on a weekend.

On the mens side there are few resale stores. The best one in New York is Gentlemens Resale. There is one in Chelsea on Seventh Avenue, and the name escapes me, but I found that it selection was aimed at fashion-forward and that its prices were too high.

Dear Mr. Schneider, being on a budget and living in a non-metropolitan area myself, I couldn’t have asked for better advice than this article provides. Again you have lived up to your reputation. Thanks a lot and best regards across the Atlantic.

Very good article and comprehensive in scope. Bravo. Here in Eastern Mass., we have good access to vintage clothing stores, many of them featuring Ivy League cast offs that can serve for many years if well cared for. A small luxury but most welcome.

A very timely article. In my case, part of the attraction of higher-quality, initially more expensive clothes (and shoes) has always been that in the long run, good quality and timeless pieces will last much longer and will save you money, besides giving more satisfaction in the process. I would say one tends to make more informed and better-researched spending decisions when money must be husbanded carefully.

Sven, Thank you for this excellent article. You answered many of my long-standing questions. I am 6’6″ tall. Do you know of any good online sources for tall clothing? All the local vintage and used clothing shops are devoid of tall clothes.

I also am 6’6″. I find no difficulty eg in getting good quality trousers and shirts on-line, but vintage clothes are very scarce in bigger sizes – I think people really were shorter in the past but have no theory to explain this, other than improved nutrition and fewer childhood diseases. Where suits are concerned, as Mr Schneider suggests, you will probably have to go bespoke or made to measure.

Great article. But for those who aren’t able to catch a flight to London or Naples (I reside in the Bay Area – Oakland/San Francisco) can you recommend some good vintage, thrift or consignment shops that would provide me with a distinct gentlemanly edge? Thanks. GT

Sven that’s you in the above photo? I hope so as it’s always nice to put a face to the writer…Great advice here also. I don’t wear suits often but like to have the knowledge for when I do.Thanks for a great forum. Edwin…

Could you possible write an article that details the measurements one ought to have, the absolutely necessary ones, and the additionally useful ones that you perhaps find of special interest? You could also suggest a nice website that lists measurements to keep in mind when shopping, for men in particular.

Thank you Mr. Schneider .unfortunately the only thrift store in Silver Spring MD is to say the least atrocious. To find a quality product there would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. Would you suggest any online second hand stores?

It’s exactly aimed on my case – as a goverment clerk, my wage is about 60% of average pay in my country, and about 50% of average wage in capital city, where I live… So, after paying rent of 500 USD/month, and buying some food, I’m left with less than about 50-100 USD/month for electronic toys and clothes…

On the other hand, It’s OK go to work in T-shirt and jeans and suit/jacket (even if worn in more casual way – no tie/bowtie) is to some degree considered as excentrism itself (overdress), so I can experiment and combine quite wildly.

Due to that, I know pretty well all secondhands in a nearby parts of city (last time I have bought nice long suede leather jacket in perfect condition for just 10$), monitor sales on HM (having several nice linen or cotton jackets for $35 from there) and also I buy a lot of things from small crafters on our national variant of Etsy (named http://www.Fler.cz), which are frequently cheaper than off the rack things and are usualy made-on-measure or made-on-demand. Also, there is a small traditional (since 1799) producer of hats named Tonak, which have it’s own shop in which offers hats in wide range types and prices and time to time, also some discounts… The most expensive thing in my wardrobe is actually a shirt – I managed to save up some money and bought 1 shirt from TmLewin (80$) in black color, in hope, that it’ll last longer than other black shirts, that I used to have and that ended being grey pretty soon. (I tend to combine black shirt with sweaters in bright colors and vice versa) So far, so good.

Well, probably there is some premium based on Czechia being rather tiny market, and also for buying it in store (which was necessity, as I was completely unaware about which size I have). But even on-line, there is a price tag 55 €

As now I have no access to PC with possibility to hide my IP, I cannot access UK web to check prices there.

I still hope, I’ll find some photos from Prague Gothic Treffen, where I have worn it with white jacket, white-silver bowtie, brownish pocket square and silver venetian-mask lapel pin… But for now, I found only few photos in very poor quality.

I’m trying to arrange some private photosession for a almost year, but since I don’t have time even for my interests…

Thank you so much for this post. I just started reading your articles just a while ago. I don’t know if this was a god send but I have to applaud to what you’re doing. Having the time to do what you do and write these articles (in such great detail) never seizes to amaze me. Before I found this article I thought I was kind of alone in an ever changing world imposed by fashion and what the media dictates to what we should wear and what is in and out. I always felt a sense of wrong about it. I always thought and believed that I can’t be the only one from my generation who thinks this way, who admires and values the old fashioned and great traditions and history that our great and grand fathers have put on this world. I know I’m just 24 years old, but as I’m becoming a classic (found it a nicer way then saying older) I noticed that my ties with the past are getting stronger and stronger. I’m becoming more old fashioned with my behavior and the way I dress that the chaps at my university think and say most of the time that I belong in a different century. Maybe I do. But for now, all I’m trying to say is that I admire your work for the soul purpose of bringing back something that I felt was getting lost forever. And by that I mean style, class, good mannerism and a sense of respect for the old, all qualities that in my opinion defines a good man. I’m also a student on a budget and at the moment due to my size, I can’t find anything that fits me. Most of stores I go to never have my size or in some cases my size doesn’t exist with them. Which in some ways made me feel a little discriminated and made me hate shopping to where I just buy my things in one store or I just by three suits a year and just mix and match with new affordable shirts and ties which are made from good quality goods. In conclusion, I thank you for putting up this article and letting me know and believe that there are many alternatives to look good and still not kill your wallet and have something left to buy your lady some flowers and not feel like you have nothing left in the end of the month. In all, keep up the good work and keep up the beautiful work you are doing.

Wonderful article! Would anyone know a good tailor in Edinburgh, UK? The main problem I have is that my body has changed a bit. I gained a few stones and then I lost them. I have garments I love which are a bit too big or too tight. I simply do not know a good tailor I can trust. They are harder and harder to find. Kind regards.

I would add that people shouldn’t get too hung up on getting the absolutely best quality items.

If you don’t have a navy blazer and you want one you can settle for a medium quality off the rack blazer if nothing else is available. As long as it looks nice and does the job it doesn’t have to be the best blazer ever made.

Also, when thrifting expect to have 10 or 20 or 30 visits to the shop before you find something nice in your size and price range. You usually go home empty handed. But when you score, you are really happy!

Yet another great article. Regarding #11, “Don’t trust a Salesperson or a Seller”

As someone who sold men’s clothing for a major department store in the South (I’ll give the reader a hint. The store was then under Federated Department Stores umbrella), the experience was a real eye-opener. When I arrived for my first day of work, I noticed a department full of double-breasted suits. Immediately I questioned the sanity of the buyers and their inventory.

Firstly, it’s HOT where I live, especially in the Summer months, but generally year round. To give one an idea of how hot, I was not required to wear a jacket inside the store. Secondly, the city is filled with all types of people from yahoos to world-class snobs. Regardless of one’s station in life, most men in the city do not wear suits unless they must, and dressing for work is mandatory only for a small percentage of the population. In other words, most men (1) Think it too hot to wear suits, and would not wear them any way. (2) Do not exhibit any sense of style, and could care less about dressing for sartorial spender, and (3) Those wearing suits do so because their position requires it. Jeans, shorts, T-shirts and flip-flops are prolific ’round here. In addition, a large majority of men in this area have beer-guts or colloquially,”tool-sheds”.

So,considering all of the above, the store wants me to sell double-breasted suits. Good luck with that. Eventually, after voicing my concern, loudly and frequently, management and purchasing , and I must give them credit, listened. Out went the majority of double-breasted suits and in came the two, and three-button models. Our price points were, (the store is now out of business) (approximately, for all items) $300.00 to $750.00 for a suit, up to $95.00 for dress trousers, and dress shirts at $65.00. Keep in mind these are 1980’s dollars. Alterations free for suits, jackets, and trousers, with purchase.

The real eye-opener was my customer base. For various reasons, at least 80% of my customers were women, or, if a husband, boyfriend, male relative, male friend walked into the department, “Men’s Fine Furnishings”, he was accompanied by a female. The take here is, most men do not know how to dress, and the men who know how to dress don’t ask questions. (Hence the need for knowledgeable, and informative websites such as Gentleman’s Gazette. Seriously).

As a result, my customers rarely asked questions, nor did the majority of them give-a-hoot about my opinion, except when it came to alterations and fit.(Part of my job consisted of chalking suit, jacket, and trousers, with the customer’s measurements, for alterations. Just don’t ask me about the “how and why” of tailoring, as I know nothing about the art.)

Rarely did any of the department’s sales people have occasion to voice their opinions, or expertise, and the department was not on commission. What we were required to push was the store’s credit card. Once one acquired the knack for selling the credit card, a “10% off total sales initial purchase” (which, in our department could amount to a considerable savings), it’s sales generated enough income to pay for the day’s lunch.

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